Reaching out
by Cookie M 2012
Summary: Tigress is going along her life normally, with her friends and husband-for-a-year by her side. But when Shifu informs Tigress that someone far away needs her help, she forces herself to face something that she thought she would never have to encounter with again... Her past.
1. Chapter 1

_**~4 years after the defeat of Lord Shen.~**_

Tigress' eyelashes batted once or twice, before revealing her beautiful sunset orbs. She was meditating in the shady area of the court yard, as Viper was training with Monkey, watching each others slowly, eyes narrow, and back hunched in defense mode. They were working on a routine Shifu instructed them to do, which was now done to perfection, and without flaw. It was a lovely sunny morning, along with everyone's sunny moods, while cooling off in the shade. Tigress watched them in silence, watching their body movement closely. She could see Monkey was positioned in his mode to attack, though if he moved his arm slightly to the left, he would be protected by a pressure point being attacked by his opponent. She could tell him if she wanted to, but she wasn't the teacher, and thought she was better off not disturbing him, in case it set him off guard.

"Lookin' good guys!" Called Po, as he came out of the training hall all of a sudden. Monkey stopped and smiled as he waved.

"Thanks Po," he called back, before being knocked over by Viper. Po laughed as she thanked him for distracting her opponent, answering "Your most welcome."

"Hey no fair!" Pouted the primate, as if he was two years old. he sat up and crossed his arms in annoyance. "No helping is allowed!"

"I wasn't really meant to," said Po defensively, but he gave Viper a small wink. "I was only complimenting your process. You were the one who got distracted Monkey."

This made Viper giggle, before Monkey delcared; "Re-Match!"

Tigress smiled at the sight of the panda's gentle smile as the two started again, as she looked down at the gold ring on her forefinger.

"Hey there beautiful," greeted the panda, settling himself down beside her. She smirked as she looked up, and planted a small, quick kiss on his lips.

"Hey there handsome." She replied, holding his paw with the one with the gold ring, resting her head on his shoulder. The two have been married for only a year, and it has been a happy one for them. They confessed their feelings to each other under the moonlight, not long after the defeat of Lord Shen, were engaged after dating for 3 years, and then got married a month later. Despite the jokes from Monkey and Mantis here and there, and the people forever cooing or asking questions about their relationship so far every now and again, and Mr. Ping asking them awkward questions, everything else went on smoothly. The two moved into a modest, two story house not far from the Jade Palace, so they could still train with their comrades... whilst having some privacy together as a couple, but the two were given an option that whenever they fancied, they could either stay in the Palace after training, or they could just walk back home.

"Master Shifu wants to see you." He whispered into her ear. The ear he whispered into flattened across her head when he finished, while looking at him curiously.

"Why?" she questioned. Po shrugged, before answering; "No idea."

"Okay," she replied.

And so she stood up, and walked towards the hall of hero's, where she saw master Shifu, speaking with Zeng the Messenger.

* * *

As she drew closer to her master, she could hear them continue their small, and soft conversation. She couldn't detect what the two were saying, and assumed it was important and it was not for her ears to hear. She stood two feet away from them, and waited patiently for her master to finish with his employee. Shifu looked behind, and noticed her there. He cleared his throat, asking Tigress why was she there.

"I was informed you needed me?" She said. Shifu nodded, before turning to Zeng.

"You are dismissed." He stated. Zeng bowed in respect to Shifu, before bowing to the feline.

"Master Tigress." He said. She bowed back.

"Zeng." She replied, before her waddled off and did other errands around the palace. After it was silent again, Tigress and Shifu were the only ones left in the hall.

"What can I be in service?" Asked the feline once more. Shifu held himself up with his walking stick, while taking out a scroll.

"I have received a message from a neighbouring village that an important place is in danger of being to be torn down. We need to think of a fundraiser in order to save it."

Tigress nodded slowly.

"But why are you telling me this alone?" She questioned. Shifu just looked at her with seriousness in his eyes, the type Tigress had never ever seen before.

"The reason why is because this place is where you were there... for some time..."

Tigress looked at her with surprise and shock.

"You mean..."

Shifu nodded.

"Yes. The Bao Gu orphanage is in danger of being torn down, along with the chances of leaving many matrons and nurses unemployed and orphans homeless. The head nurse turned to us, considering you were..." he cleared his throat quickly. "Once in their care."

Tigress turned her head slightly away to the right from her master. The "in their care" part didn't seem to fit a good way to describe how she was treated back in Bao Gu as a child. It was something she never wanted to turn to and be haunted about again. She blocked it out of her present thoughts... Yet they were able to creep in and destroy her plans with Po as a married couple in the near future, and she couldn't stop them. Po was the one for loving and wanting children, but he knew never to ask Tigress until he thought it was the right time...

Each time she was heard from him; "I was thinking... maybe we could start a family?" it made her freeze, and if Po saw it, he remained mute for the rest of the day, or quickly moved on from the subject, and discussed something else like the weather, or some story he heard going around the Valley about a goat and a barrel of cabbage, laughing and saying that in his opinion it was absolutely comical. She laughed along too like she forgot the topic of kids altogether. But when she heard hint; "So when will i be expecting grandchildren?" From Mr. Ping, it made her have flashbacks when she was a child... really bad and unwelcoming ones.

Now the _villagers _were beginning to question her and Po about it... sometimes if they were separated from each other in the markets or if one was there while the other was at the Palace, or if they were together on the street or having a small quiet meal. Both usually said nothing at all... and she soon found herself starting to get sick of all the questions, because she never had an answer for anyone who questioned about it... all because of her troubled past. She never knew what Po said if they said it to him alone...

"I know the word 'care' isn't the best way to describe it," Shifu suddenly said, interrupting her thoughts. "But Mrs Mei Long, who is still there since from when you were young, asked specially, adding that she would like to see you again and know how you are doing..."

Tigress closed her eyes, feeling a hint of anger rising within her. She never liked Mei Long, who was the head matron of the orphanage when she was inhabited at Bao Gu, and the one who watched her growing up, let alone being the only who was able to discipline her. The other nurses addressed her as Sister Mei, and the child called her 'Lady Mei'. For those who question this part, Mei Long was a goat. And despite her puffy chest and furry joints, she was indeed small... spindely, stout, and _very_ strict. Everyone was scared of her, even the older, and the some-what 'fearless' children. She had these small, beady eyes behind large, thick, and scary glasses, with a cane always near by or in hand. Tigress would've never _imagined, _let alone _dreamed _that the old goat would have ever wanted to see her again... but maybe she wanted to see her so she could pitch in to help save Bao Gu. She was a little surprised that the old bag was even _breathing _still...

Tigress looked back at her master.

"What else?" She asked, feeling that there is more coming.

"That's it."

That surely surprised her. She wasn't expecting that coming at all.

"It's your choice whether to do this event or not Master Tigress. They asked you specially to think about it." Shifu's voiced suddenly came out of nowhere. Tigress looked at her master. She _had _no choice.

"Alright. When do we leave?"

"Soon, gather the others and bring them here. I'll explain what's going on, then you will have to go home and gather some belongings and food for the trip. It could take all day to get there, maybe longer if we run into mischief," the elder panda explained. He gestured at the door. "Now go get the others."

Tigress bowed, before walking away. But when outside, she leaned against the pillar, and sighed heavily. She didn't want to see or EVER encounter with Mei Long ever again...

But hey, sometimes you had to break promises you make to yourself.

* * *

**There you go everyone!**

**Hope you like the first chapter of**

**Sorry for being so long on all the stories! I have been doing videos!**

**Yeah! I'm on youtube now!**

**XD XD**

**Hehehe hope that goes well!**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

Everyone stood in single file infront of their Master. They looked at him, before glancing at Tigress with question. Along the way to the Hall of Hero's, just a few minutes back, when she instructed them to follow her to their master, Tigress hinted that Shifu got a request from someone seeking their help urgently. When they asked _who, _she stayed quiet about it and said nothing more, and continued to walk on, staring straight ahead. Seeing they weren't going to get an answer, (even if they tried), they mumbled between themselves, out of (what they hoped) Tigress' reach on what the possibilities were;

And old friend of Shifu?

Maybe someone he didn't get along with? Yet he was willing to help all the same?

...

_Tigress' parents?!_

No one even _dared _to say the last one. Not if they were willing to take a 'little' punch or two... _if you catch my drift. _As Crane would say. So they continued in silence, til they eventually made it til Master Shifu was sighted in the lotus position, his ears flickering at the sound of their padded steps, slowing coming towards him... To where we read eight lines ago. We resume the scene to find Shifu looked at his students' questioning looks, before seeing Tigress looking back at them slightly... irritated.

"Now, Tigress had told you nothing of what I'm about to announce?" He asked. All shook their heads.

"We did _try,_" Monkey admitted, before shrugging.

"But, of course, they got nothing." Said Tigress, as Po placed an arm around her. "I only hinted someone needs our help." She tilted her head and rested it on his shoulder. Everyone was still a little... "Shaken up" by Tigress new side after the two tied the knot, which included allowing Po do certain gestures like that, or Tigress doing those gestures too... But they knew they had to get use to it _sooner_ or later.

"You weren't meant to know any real information til you came here." Added Shifu. He revealed a letter to them all, handed it to Po, and with everyone looking over his shoulder. They began to read along with Vipers voice;

* * *

**急求助** **_  
_**

**為了師父, 和玉皇宮的其他專業人士**. **我的名字叫龍梅，我的頭護士長苞谷孤兒院，誰是需要你的慷慨和關懷，為老百姓著想 在這裡工作，並且為了誰已經離開這裡，或者這裡由親戚誰也無法支持自己的生命或健康的經濟所帶來的孩子.**

** 我們正在對試圖保持在控制之下的地方存在一些問題，但我們缺乏的是資金，而且負債累累。 我在這裡已經將近五十年，而我不容許任何人失業或無家可歸。我是一個誰曾經有過你的學生碩士母老虎在我的手錶和教導給她最好的教育，對於出現在今天我的手錶每隔孩子。我們將不勝感激，如果你幫了我們舉辦的慈善活動籌集資金安全我們的家，工作場所。**

**你的善良將伴隨我們永遠 **  
**如果您同意幫助我們，請盡快發送筆記。 **  
**此致 **  
**龍梅**

**_(Urgent help.  
_**

**_To Master Shifu, and the other professionals of the Jade Palace. My name is Mei Long, and I am the head matron of Bao Gu Orphanage, who is in need of your generosity and concern for the sake of the people working here, and for the sake of the children who have been left here, or brought here by relatives who couldn't support their lives or health financially. _**

**_We are having some problems on trying to keep the place under control, but we are short on money and are in debt. I have been here for almost fifty years, and I am not allowing anyone become unemployed, or homeless. I was the one who once had your student Master Tigress under my watch and teachings to give her the best of education possible, like every other child present in my watch, I would appreciate it if you helped us hold charity events to raise money to safe our home, and workplace._**

_**Your kindness will be with us for eternity**_  
_**If you agree to help us, please send note as soon as possible.**_  
_**Sincerely,**_  
_**Mei Long**_**_)_**

* * *

Everyone looked at Tigress as soon was their eyes laid upon the last word of the letter, with their scaly friends' voice echoing in their minds. Tigress looked back, as if it didn't have an affect on her, but soon, she realized she was holding her breath when she felt light headed, and her knees felt like they were starting to give out beneath her. Shifu words echoed in her head;

_"I know the word 'care' isn't the best way to describe it," Shifu suddenly said, interrupting her thoughts. "But Mrs Mei Long, who is still there since from when you were young, asked specially, adding that she would like to see you again and know how you are doing..."_

Listening and reading the letter herself, she saw nothing bout Mei wanting her to think about it especially...

_Shifu was lying..._ she thought, anger rising inside of her.

"Well," Crane's voice suddenly filled the room. His voice sounded at little croaky, as if he was fearing to be badly treated for saying a word about Bao Gu. Clearing his throat, he finished the sentence with; "I believe we will have to go pack?"

"Indeed," said the elder master. "Plus, we have to do two things." He counted them off. "A; notify Sister Long, and B; when we get there, we all must discuss what we are doing as a fundraiser, so we must have some ideas in mind on the way." He looked at them and gestured at the door behind him.

"Go get your belongings ready. We leave as soon as I send a letter to Sister Long. Po, you cook us food for the journey. And Tigress, stay behind for a minute."

Everyone, excluding the feline, bowed, and left. Tigress was ready to confront the elder panda about what he said to her earlier, but he suddenly revealed a small piece of scroll.

"With your decisions," he began. "This is mainly for your eyes only. Don't worry, I didn't look at it."

With silent, quick nod, she took it out of his grasp, before bowing, shaking slightly, and walked casually out of the hall.

* * *

Tigress walked back home unaccompanied, to get her and her husband's belongings ready as he cooked the food in the kitchen back at the palace. Closing the door tightly behind her, she took a breath and leaned against the door, sliding down slowly before finding herself hunched on the ground, eyes directly looking at the floorboards supporting her crouched position. She looked around her, finding out that she was now way from the hot outdoors, to the cool recreation room, with chairs, fireplace, scroll shelves, and a amazing view of the valley... in the next room, you would find yourself in a reasonable sized kitchen, (tall enough for Po to stand in mind you), carefully organised utensils in the cupboards, food supplies in the top cupboards... the sink by a small window, that led their eyes directly to the bamboo forest... (Shifu thought it would be a good idea for their house to be built there, so they could work on any up coming, and unexpected bandits.) Up stairs there was their bedroom, and two spare rooms; One is used as a guest room, and the other was a study...

But she soon her eyes went to her left paw, where the piece of paper Shifu handed her stayed, slightly crinkled because she held onto it a little too tight. She knew it was a personal message from Sister Mei, but she was expecting lots of negative things from the woman, and how she was delighted when Shifu took her away from that _dreadful _orphanage...

Soothing out the page gently, she stood up and went to the arm chair, and settled down in it. Looking over her shoulder and around the room in case if someone magically appeared out of nowhere, trying to see what was written upon it, she covered the page slightly with her left paw, only for her to see. She took a steady breath, and opened the letter, seeing writing she was unfamiliar with, but a voice she knew, but never heard from in so long, echoed inside her head;

* * *

_**(**_**母老虎， **

**我知道我沒有經過過去幾年你的童年過接觸，當你走進市府的教導，成為了一個少年，而現在，我假設你已經變成了一個優雅，美麗勇敢的年輕女子，治病救人每每天...想幫助的人，無論如何就可以了，從來沒有停止，直到每個人，更別說自己，很滿意。我很懷疑你永遠不會希望你以後在苞谷時間再和我說話。大多數人誰住在這裡永遠的孩子保持聯繫，或曾經想回到甚至看到所有的護士，和我應對誰在他們曾經是這個地方的孩子們。我知道你有更難那麼其他的孩子，不想回頭了過去，只留下我們所有人的後面，從來沒有想過我們了，但我懇求你和你的戰友，幫助我們節省這的地方，不只是為了我和其他護士保持我們的工作，但對於其他許多孩子今天誰在這裡。誰是不能被採用的孩子...那些誰沒有那麼幸運，你住在像玉皇宮的地方。我希望你可以找到它在你心臟在思考這一點，做什麼，你必須作為一個戰士。 **  
**此致 **  
**龍梅。**

**附註：我很想看看你現在正在做).**

_**(Tigress,**_

_**I know I haven't been in contact through the last few years of your childhood, when you went into Shifu's teachings, became a teenager, and now, I assume you have turned into a graceful, beautiful courageous young woman, saving lives each and everyday... wanting to help anyone in anyway you can, and never stop until everyone, let alone yourself, are satisfied. And I very much doubt you will ever want to speak to me again after your time in Bao Gu. Most of the children who lived here never kept in contact, or ever wanted to return to even see how all the nurses, and I are coping with the children who were in the place they once were. I know you had it harder then the other children, and wouldn't want to turn back to the past, and just leave us all behind and to never think about us again, but I plead to you and your comrades to help us save this place, not just for the sake of me and the other nurses keeping our jobs, but for the many other children who are here today. The children who are unable to be adopted... the ones who weren't as lucky as you to live in a place like the Jade Palace. I hope you can find it in you heart to think this over, and do what you must as a warrior.**_  
_**Sincerely,**_  
_**Mei Long.**_

_**P.S. I would love to see how you are doing now.)**_

* * *

Tigress' eyes looked at the last sentence for quite some time, long after the voice in her head was extinguished. She unsure whether Mei was even telling the truth.

_Since when did Mei ask to see her, just so she could know how she was doing? And what was this trash about the past? _

Tigress protested the fact that it wasn't like Sister Mei understood that she hasn't spoken to her, or had ever been in contact with her for years... since when did the old bag have Tigress on her 'favorites' list? Tigress knew that the past never bothered her since the day she was announced as the leader of the Furious Five at the age of twelve... at that young age, she knew never to let the past get at her... she was meant to be a hardcore warrior with no weaknesses... and the theory worked like a charm for years... until now.

_Why is it bothering her now?_

* * *

**Sorry for the long wait!**

**Trying to update everything at the same time!**

**Chapter 3 coming soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

Po immediately thought something was wrong as soon as he came into the house. Being used to hearing her welcome him from the kitchen as she made herself tea, or smiling at him lovingly from her chair in the recreation room, it felt strange when he heard no one welcome him as he closed the door tightly behind him. He called out Tigress' name when silence continued on long after he was done doing so. But when a voice never answered his call, he began to panic. As far as he knew, she wasn't in the recreation room, seeing he was there coming through the front door, and she wasn't in the kitchen either. Their satchels full of their belongings for the journey, and the big basket for their food and supplies were at the ready on the table... but no Tigress was in site.

He ran upstairs.

"_T-i-g-r-e-s-s!_" He called as he entered the bedroom. Fear quickly turned into relief when he saw her in there, sitting on the bed... but soon his concern soon began to rise when she didn't say any of her comebacks, like; "Calm down Po! I'm not abducted!" or "Stop screaming like a fishwife or the emperor himself will be able to hear you from his Palace!"

She didn't even turn to look at him. She was looking down at the letter from Mei Long, (whom and which he was not aware of.) And from where he was standing, it was only a simple piece of scroll where the words were nothing but little squiggles from the length of distance. Po stepped closer, and then closer, and closer again. By the time he got to around the seventh or eighth step closer, he was at the opposite side of the bed. Silently breathing in, he reached out to touch her shoulder.

"Tigress?" His paw now settled on it... but it only made her jump, and kung fu kick his frightened, and still quite large rear to the ground, making her drop the paper she was holding. It was sore mind you, but he knew she was doing it in defense. Now lying on the ground, nearly paralyzed in fear, he shut his eyes and covered his face protectively with his arms the best he could, bracing himself to get beaten to the plump by his wife...

"Po?" She sounded slightly annoyed and ticked off. "Don't do that again!"

"Then answer me when I call you!" He protested, removing his arms away from his face. "It wouldn't have happened if you answered! I was shouting... didn't you hear me?"

She suddenly paused, and turned from being annoyed as _hell_, to calm, but allowing a sigh escape her throat. She reached out her paw in offer to held him up, her wedding band glinting in front of him. He reached back and held on as he was helped up. Their paws never left each other when he was on his own two feet. Tigress did try to detach his paw from hers, but failed. After that, Po just watched Tigress as she looked down at their linked paws. He knew she did this when something was bothering her, and it was a mighty task to find out what was the reason she was bothered about.

"Tigress?" He said again. Watching her ears flick at the sound of his voice, her head rose up to allow their eyes lock.

"Is it about the orphanage?" He asked. She said nothing to that sentence, and it made him automatically know that it was the answer... but just to be sure, he asked if it was again, and she answered with a nod the second time. He closed the door, and then the curtains. Now the room was slightly more darker... he pulled her to the bed, and they sat down at the end of the bed spread. When he managed to get their paws to peel away from each other, it gave him the opportunity to embrace her warmly, in which he did so.

"Having seconds thoughts?" He asked.

"Mhm." She replied, burying her face into his fur, taking in his scent. She could tell that he had been cooking plenty, there was a strong scent of spices coming from him.

"Why is that?" He asked again. She sighed, before pulling herself away from him.

"It's because of the past," she let out. "It's about the matron, Mei. She wants to see how I'm doing..."

"I don't see anything bad about that." Po began. "I never met this lady... Is she-"

"But," Tigress butted in. "I don't want to see her. And why?" she began to explain that Sister Mei didn't just discipline her harder then the other children; she always criticized Tigress over almost everything she tried to achieve, and what impact it had on her as a child... Those certain parts that came across her mind were never told to Po, or _anyone... not even Master Shifu. _She couldn't in case it made her look weak... and she could live with that... could she? By looking over everything that has been happening... she had become less of the person she was before Po came to the Palace. She was more involved with those around her then she did while growing up. She always distanced herself, and put the past in a bag and threw it away... thinking it would never come back... but eventually the bag ripped itself open, and they made their way back to her mind... she wanted them gone... and it made her feel better once they were let out, with a pair of ears listening to her

Po settled his chin on her forehead when she was finished, making her lean her head on his chest side.

"Didn't you ever tell Shifu how you felt?" He felt her head move side to side. He couldn't blame her why she never did so, coming to think about of it... seeing that after Tai Lung was taken to prison, Shifu distanced himself from Tigress when she was a child, and trained her until her bones were at their breaking point and then stopped... never gave her the praise or affection every child needs... so Tigress soon began did the exact same thing, yet determined to make him proud... but it had no emotional reaction from him. Sometime he thought if Tigress ever cared about it anymore... or if she and Shifu will ever have the father-daughter relationship they should have had at the start.

"I never liked that Matron," Tigress' voice suddenly over came his inner thoughts. He patted her back, making her purr.

"But you'll do it for those kids so they have a place to live?"

Tigress shut her eyes as she got out of her husband's embrace. She reopened them, and stared into her husband's eyes.

"Yes." Po smiled as he leaned in for a kiss. But when he suspected this kiss to be only a small peck before he could praise her about her courage over something so personal to her, but seemingly _little _to him... it became more passionate, and the room darkened as his eyes closed...

* * *

**And the chapter ends there!**

**Woo! Another chapter done for my viewers!**

**Hope y'all like it! Thanks for reading!**

**Please review!**

**Ciao!**


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